Toronto Regent Park Central Park & Aquatic Centre | ?m | ?s | TCHC | MJMA

[CDL.TO]

http://irinas.ca/wp/regent-park-central-park-aquatic-centre/[/SIZE]

What happened to park design? It's too driven by auto-oriented design as opposed to how pedestrians will actually interact with the space. There's an "entry plaza", but it's in the middle of the block, which means that no one will actually be approaching the park from this direction. (If the “green open space” was a condo or office building, this might make sense.) Instead, pedestrians will approach the park from the corners and want to cross the park in direct, diagonal lines to their destinations. Look at Hyde Park in London, diagonal desire lines everywhere which reflect where people actually want to go. Here we have a “grid” of paths, looking more like a design for development parcels or a parking lot.

Let’s take a different approach. Wait for the snow to fall and look at the natural paths that pedestrians take through the site. Build paths here THEN figure out where the playgrounds and picnic areas should go.

 

[ponyboy]

thanks for that incisive comment! so true! so little is designed for the human scale, even by landscape architects who are supposed to design these spaces to best meet how residents will (want to) use the space.

 

[current]

I agree with CDL.TO's comments and I found what appears to be an older version of the plan for the park with diagonal paths. Why they changed it to a grid pattern I do not know. I also noticed that there will be a road/boulevard going in on the south side of Dundas St. beside the Paintbox and it will line up with the "entry plaza" in the new plan.


http://www.google.ca/imgres?q=regen...dsp=17&ved=1t:429,r:12,s:67,i:224&tx=52&ty=54

 

[current]

September 22 2012
12 pm to 4 pm

Regent Park Arts & Cultural Centre
Join us as we open our doors to the public for the very first time! This will be an opportunity to explore our facilities, enjoy a snack, take in a performance and meet the arts and social innovation organizations that call this home.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Lisa Rochon's review of the RP Aquatic Centre:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts...nt-park-in-the-swim-of-things/article4543003/

AoD

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

And Christopher Hume's take on the Arts Centre, from the Star:

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/art...tre-breathes-life-and-colour-into-regent-park

AoD

 

[RiverCity1]

I think that I'm one of the few people that REALLY likes this building for a lot of different reasons...and Paintbox, too. The new restaurant, Paintbox Bistro, has a great story behind it and I hope that it does very well. Much needed improvement to this stretch.

The white metal panels of the Arts centre with the bright coloured inserts add great visual interest. You can't help but notice this building! I don't think that the materials come across as "cheap", as previous posts suggest. Kids are going to love this place with all the colour...and I think that was the intention: to include everyone...and especially the local youth.

A very inviting building. It's not the slightest bit pretentious, say like Shangri-La (at the luxury end of new construction -- completely different design intentions and clientele than this Arts centre), and will function and serve its future performers and audiences well.

There is the Open House this Saturday from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. for anyone that wants to check it out in person rather that just commenting on construction photos.

From the north-east (taken from Aquatic Centre across the street...another beautiful building)

New Restaurant under Paintbox Condos (I believe that there will be a cafe inside the Arts Centre that will share same the kitchen...)

Paintbox Condos

Condos and Arts Centre (back of the building)

South-east corner. The wood steps will be great for sitting and people watching on the Urban Mews between this and One Park Place, currently under construction

North-east corner from closer up

Go check it out and support local talent!

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Very nice photos Rivercity

Personally I thought the project turned out well - utilitarian, but catches the eye like you've said.

AoD

 

[RiverCity1]

Thank you kindly, AoD!

I'm looking forward to seeing inside on Saturday. Went to the Doors Open event back in May when they were just putting up drywall...so can't wait to see how its transformed with all the final finishings

 

[rdaner]

Taken 19 Sept 2012

 

[Mississauga Slim]

 

[Mississauga Slim]

 

[FutureBuilder]

I was in the place today. It is hard to believe this is Regent Park! Do people remember what this place looked like 10 years ago? 5 years ago? It was Toronto's version of Cabrini-Green. And now there's a Bistro in what used to be the ghetto. Daniels has done a very good job on this one so far. I wish the were already on Phase 5 right now, but the transformation has been pretty amazing.

 

[rdaner]

The renovation of this school is the part of the redevelopment that I am least familiar. Photos taken 23 September 2012.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

rdaner:

It is the Nelson Mandela Public School/Regent Park Community Centre - by CS&P Architects:

http://www.toronto.ca/civic-engagement/2010/regent-park-community-centre.htm
http://www.csparch.com/#section=3&category=10&page=69

AoD